SEGMENTED CAGE FOR A BEARING

Abstract

 A segmented cage for a bearing, comprising at least two successive segments (20) each being able to receive at least one rolling element (9), these segments (20) having inner and outer circumferential faces (21, 22) and adjacent end faces (23, 24) abutting circumferentially one on the other, in which the said adjacent end faces (23, 24) are shaped to obtain only one contact line (26) or contact point (27) between them, the contact point or contact line being distant from the said inner and outer circumferential faces.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of bearings including rolling elements and spacing cages for maintaining these rolling elements.

[0002] Particularly in the field of large-diameter bearings, for example large-diameter rolling bearings adapted to be used in wind turbines or tunnel boring machines, it is known to use segmented cages which comprise segments abutting circumferentially and having pockets for receiving the rolling elements.

[0003] Currently, the adjacent segments comprises flat abutting surfaces which are in contact one on the other. When these segments pivot radially relative to each other, the contact plat surfaces take off from one another and the segments stay in contact only on inner or outer contacts, increasing the median nominal diameter of the cages.

[0004] Otherwise, as described in the patent US 3 938 866, the contact abutting surfaces are cylindrical. One of these cylindrical surfaces is convex and is engaged in the other cylindrical surface which is concave, the diameters of these cylindrical surfaces being equal. When these segments pivot radially relative to each other, either the contact cylindrical surfaces take off from one another and the segments stay in contact only on inner or outer contacts or the cylindrical surfaces stay in contact and slide one over the other, the segments shifting radially one relative to the other.

[0005] The above situations induce untimely deteriorations and are not satisfying.

[0006] According to one embodiment, it is proposed a segmented cage for a bearing, comprising at least two successive segments each being able to receive at least one rolling element, these segments having inner and outer circumferential faces and adjacent end faces abutting circumferentially one on the other.

[0007] The said adjacent end faces are shaped to obtain only one contact line or contact point between them, the contact point or contact line being distant from the said inner and outer circumferential faces.

[0008] The contact point or contact line can be located in central zones of the ends faces distant from the said inner and outer circumferential faces.

[0009] One of the end faces can have a convex shape.

[0010] The other end face can have a convex shape.

[0011] The other end face can have a concave shape.

[0012] The other face can have a flat shape.

[0013] One of the end faces can have a convex cylindrical shape, with an axis parallel to the axis of the cage.

[0014] The other end face can have a convex cylindrical shape.

[0015] The cylindrical shape of one of the end faces can be concave and the other one can be convex, the radius of the concave cylindrical shape being greater than the radius of the convex cylindrical shape.

[0016] One of the end faces can have a convex spherical shape.

[0017] It is also proposed a bearing comprising two rings, rolling elements interposed between the rings and, for receiving the rolling elements, the said cage.

[0018] The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by studying a bearing with a segmented cage, given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings on which:

• Figure 1 is a partial radial cross-section of a bearing, passing through a cage ;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view in an axial cross-section of the bearing of figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is a top view of a portion of two segments of the cage, according to one embodiment ;
• Figure 4 is an end view of a segment of figure 3 ;
• Figure 5 is a top view of a portion of two segments of the cage, according to another embodiment ;
• Figure 6 is a top view of a portion of two segments of the cage, according to another embodiment ;
• Figure 7 is a perspective top view of a portion of two segments of the cage, according to another embodiment ; and
• Figure 8 is an end view of a segment of figure 3.

[0019] As illustrated on figures 1 and 2, a bearing 1 comprises an inner ring 2 and an outer ring 3 which are concentric and rotatable about an axis (not shown), this axis being for example disposed vertically. The rings 2 and 3 are connected for example through the following rows of rolling elements.

[0020] For supporting radial loads, the bearing 1 comprises a row 4 of rolling elements 5 such as rollers, which are provided between raceways of the rings 2 and 3, which are provided between radially spaced apart cylindrical raceways 6 and 7 of the rings 2 and 3, the raceways 6 and 7 being radially spaced apart.

[0021] For supporting axial loads, from top to bottom, the bearing 1 comprising a top row 8 of rolling elements 9 such as rollers, which are provided between annular radial raceways 17 and 11 of the rings 2 and 3, the raceways 17 and 11 being axially spaced apart.

[0022] For supporting axial loads, from bottom to top, the bearing 1 comprising a bottom row 12 of rolling elements 13 such as rollers, which are provided between annular radial raceways 14 and 15 of the rings 2 and 3, the raceways 14 and 15 being axially spaced apart.

[0023] The inner ring 2 comprises an outer annular portion 16 having axially on both sides the raceways 17 and 15 and having on its outer face the raceway 6.

[0024] The rolling elements 9 of the row 8 are maintained spaced apart through a cage 10 which can be in plastic, or metallic material such as bronze alloy. Therefore the cage can be obtained from injection molding, sand molding or machining.

[0025] The cage 10 is disposed between cylindrical faces 18 and 19 of the rings 2 and 3, which delimits radially the space in which the rolling elements 9 are moving.

[0026] The cage 10 is segmented and is constituted of a plurality of successive segments 20. Each segment 20 has inner and outer circumferential cylindrical faces 21 and 22 adjacent to the cylindrical faces 18 and 19 of the rings 2 and 3 and has circumferentially opposed abutting end faces 23 and 24 such that the adjacent end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting circumferentially. Each segment 20 is provided with axially transverse pockets 25 receiving respectively some of the rolling elements 9.

[0027] As illustrated on figures 3 and 4, according to one embodiment, the end faces 23 and 24 of each segment 20 have the shape of convex cylindrical shapes having axial axis parallel to the axis of the bearing 1 or the cage 10, or equivalent shapes, such that the end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting only along an axial contact line 26.

[0028] This contact line 26 is distant from the inner and outer circumferential cylindrical faces 21 and 22 thereof and preferably located in a central zone of the end faces, for example at substantially equal distances from the inner and outer circumferential cylindrical faces 21 and 22 thereof.

[0029] As illustrated on figure 5, according to another embodiment, the end faces 23 and 24 of each segment 20 have one a convex cylindrical shape and the other a flat shape.

[0030] Also in this case, the end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting along an axial contact line 26 as illustrated on figure 4, which is located substantially at an equivalent position.

[0031] As illustrated on figure 6, according to another embodiment, the end faces 23 and 24 of each segment 20 have one a concave cylindrical shape the other a concave cylindrical shape, the radius of the concave cylindrical shape being greater than the radius of the concave cylindrical shape.

[0032] Also in this case, the end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting along an axial contact line 26 as illustrated on figure 4, which is located substantially at an equivalent position.

[0033] As illustrated on figure 7 and 8, according to another embodiment, the end faces 23 and 24 of each segment 20 have convex dome shapes, such as portions of spherical shape, such that the end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting only on one contact point 27.

[0034] This contact point 27 is distant from the inner and outer circumferential cylindrical faces 21 and 22 thereof and located in a central zone of the end faces 23 and 24.

[0035] According to another embodiment (not shown), the end faces 23 and 24 of each segment 20 have one a convex dome shape and the other a flat shape. Also in this case, the end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B are abutting only on one contact point 27 as illustrated on figure 8.

[0036] The above-described specific shapes of the end faces 23 and 24 of the segments 20 of the cage 17 have the following advantages.

[0037] The abutting end faces 23 and 24 of two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B can roll on each other relatively to the contact line 25 or the contact point 26.

[0038] The two successive adjacent segments 20A and 20B of the cage 17 can pivot radially with respect to each other, without substantially changing the circumferential length of the cage 17.

[0039] The adjacent end portions of adjacent segments 20A and 20B can move radially substantially simultaneously, towards the outer or towards the inner.

[0040] The present invention has been described regarding a cage receiving the rolling elements of a thrust bearing for supporting axial loads. The present invention can also be applied to a cage receiving the rolling elements of a bearing for supporting radial loads. The present invention can also be applied to a cage having segments each receiving only one rolling element.

Claims

1. A segmented cage for a bearing, comprising at least two successive segments (20) each being able to receive at least one rolling element (9), these segments (20) having inner and outer circumferential faces (21, 22) and adjacent end faces (23, 24) abutting circumferentially one on the other,
in which the said adjacent end faces (23, 24) are shaped to obtain only one contact line (25) or contact point (26) between them, the contact point or contact line being distant from the said inner and outer circumferential faces.

2. Cage according to claim 1, in which the contact point or contact line are located in central zones of the ends faces distant from the said inner and outer circumferential faces.

3. Cage according to claim 1 or 2, in which one of the end face has a convex shape.

4. Cage according to claim 3, in which the other end face has a convex shape.

5. Cage according to claim 3, in which the other end face has a concave shape.

6. Cage according to claim 3, in which the other face has a flat shape.

7. Cage according to anyone of the preceding claims, in which one of the end faces has a convex cylindrical shape, with an axis parallel to the axis of the cage.

8. Cage according to claim 7, in which the other end face has a convex cylindrical shape.

9. Cage according to claim 7, in which the other end face has a concave cylindrical shape, the radius of the concave cylindrical shape being greater than the radius of the convex cylindrical shape.

10. Cage according to anyone of the preceding claims, in which one of the end faces has a convex spherical shape.

11. Cage according to claim 7 or 10, in which the other end face has a flat shape.

12. A bearing comprising two rings, rolling elements interposed between the rings and, for receiving the rolling elements, a cage according to one of the preceding claims.

Drawing